The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced changes to its Advanced Reservation Period (ARP), the 12th such revision since 1921.
Starting from November 1, 2024, Indian passengers will now be able to book IRCTC train tickets up to 60 days in advance of the train’s scheduled departure, as against the current advance booking period of 120 days. The change aims to improve seat allocation efficiency and potentially increase ticket confirmation rates.
Some of the things to note about the new ARP policy is that:
The new rules will not impact already booked tickets and those made before October 31.
Cancellations of the booking made beyond the ARP of 60 days will be permitted.
There will be no change in the case of certain daytime express trains like the Taj Express, the Gomti Express, and so on, where lower limits for advance reservations are, at present, in force.
There will also be no change in the ARP of 365 days for foreigners, giving them ample time to plan their travels.
Meanwhile, the Indian Railways is making significant strides in incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance its systems and processes. The organisation has already implemented AI-enabled cameras for monitoring linen and food quality and is now utilising AI models to optimise seat allocation and improve confirmation rates. After analysing seat occupancy patterns, the AI system can identify stations with higher vacancy rates and reallocate seats accordingly. This approach is expected to lead to a significant increase in confirmed tickets.
The Indian Railways is aiming to carry 7.5 billion passengers in 2024–25, a nine per cent increase from the previous year.
(With inputs from multiple news agencies)